www.dailykos.com/story/2014/07/30/1317756/-One-image-that-shows-the-South-is-the-region-with-the-most-freedom
"41.5% of the nation's uninsured lived in the South last fall—before Obamacare kicked in—by June the number had risen to 48.9%. Just under half of all uninsured Americans are Southerners. Those in the South and elsewhere who remain free from the tyranny of health insurance coverage can thank their liberty-loving Republican elected officials for rejecting the expansion of Medicaid offered to their states by Obamacare."
Thursday, July 31, 2014
Why The Koch Brothers Are So Interested In Who Becomes The Next Attorney General Of Colorado
www.thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/07/31/3466357/colorado-ag-energy-koch/
"Probably not coincidentally, Coffman is a staunch supporter of the oil and gas industry who has vowed to use the position to protect the rights of frackers and drillers."
"Probably not coincidentally, Coffman is a staunch supporter of the oil and gas industry who has vowed to use the position to protect the rights of frackers and drillers."
Connecticut Republican to factory workers: It's your fault this factory is closing
www.dailykos.com/story/2014/07/31/1317833/-Connecticut-gubernatorial-candidate-to-factory-workers-It-s-your-fault-this-factory-is-closing
"And suddenly, without explanation, OpenGate Financial announced the mill would be closing. But, why? Because OpenGate Financial decided to sell all of the equipment to the largest competitor, thereby shrinking the competition. If this all sounds familiar, it is because these are exactly the type of stomach-churning tactics used by Bain Capital and the Mitt Romney's of the world."
"And suddenly, without explanation, OpenGate Financial announced the mill would be closing. But, why? Because OpenGate Financial decided to sell all of the equipment to the largest competitor, thereby shrinking the competition. If this all sounds familiar, it is because these are exactly the type of stomach-churning tactics used by Bain Capital and the Mitt Romney's of the world."
GOP Self Destructs As Boehner Won’t Let Republicans Leave Until They Pass Border Bill
www.politicususa.com/2014/07/31/gop-destructs-boehner-republicans-leave-pass-border-bill.html
"After trying to blame Obama for their inability to pass legislation, Speaker Boehner and the House Republican leadership moved on to Plan B, which is to not let House Republicans go on vacation until he gets his way. The border bill has turned into yet another Republican caused train wreck.
The Republican Party is not fit to govern. They keep proving this point by failing to complete even the most basic tasks associated with legislating. Lawsuits against the president can’t conceal the fact that this is the worst Congress in modern history."
"After trying to blame Obama for their inability to pass legislation, Speaker Boehner and the House Republican leadership moved on to Plan B, which is to not let House Republicans go on vacation until he gets his way. The border bill has turned into yet another Republican caused train wreck.
The Republican Party is not fit to govern. They keep proving this point by failing to complete even the most basic tasks associated with legislating. Lawsuits against the president can’t conceal the fact that this is the worst Congress in modern history."
House Republicans jam Senate on transportation bill
www.dailykos.com/story/2014/07/31/1318144/-House-Republicans-jam-Senate-on-transportation-nbsp-bill
"House Republicans are just having a bang-up day in spending a lot of time and taxpayer money in hanging around on the House floor and making sure that no governing actually happen before they leave for five weeks for recess. While leadership was first killing and then trying to resurrect its version of a border assistance bill, they also managed to jam up the Senate—also in its last day of work before recess—on the highway trust fund transportation funding bill."
"House Republicans are just having a bang-up day in spending a lot of time and taxpayer money in hanging around on the House floor and making sure that no governing actually happen before they leave for five weeks for recess. While leadership was first killing and then trying to resurrect its version of a border assistance bill, they also managed to jam up the Senate—also in its last day of work before recess—on the highway trust fund transportation funding bill."
Koch-backed seniors group low-balling election spending?
www.publicintegrity.org/2014/07/30/15163/koch-backed-seniors-group-low-balling-election-spending
"The 60 Plus Association — a nonprofit senior citizen advocacy group funded largely by billionaire businessmen Charles and David Koch’s conservative political network — appears to have vastly understated its level of election spending on federal tax filings, a Center for Public Integrity review of documents indicates."
"The 60 Plus Association — a nonprofit senior citizen advocacy group funded largely by billionaire businessmen Charles and David Koch’s conservative political network — appears to have vastly understated its level of election spending on federal tax filings, a Center for Public Integrity review of documents indicates."
GOP Candidate Michael Peroutka Fails To Shake Extremist Label With ‘Not a Racist’ Press Conference | Right Wing Watch
GOP Candidate Michael Peroutka Fails To Shake Extremist Label With ‘Not a Racist’ Press Conference | Right Wing Watch
"But if the press conference was meant to dispel the notion that Peroutka is an extremist, it failed miserably. Peroutka repeatedly refused to disavow the League of the South, on whose board he has sat. He would not say it was a mistake to have called Dixie the national anthem at a League of the South convention. And he refused, in spite of repeated questions, to disavow the idea that the southern states should secede."
"But if the press conference was meant to dispel the notion that Peroutka is an extremist, it failed miserably. Peroutka repeatedly refused to disavow the League of the South, on whose board he has sat. He would not say it was a mistake to have called Dixie the national anthem at a League of the South convention. And he refused, in spite of repeated questions, to disavow the idea that the southern states should secede."
FreedomWorks Has Millions Of Reasons To Repeal The ACA
FreedomWorks Has Millions Of Reasons To Repeal The ACA
"Hey, Justice Scalia, I'm sure glad money in politics doesn't corrupt people. Oh, wait.
Andy Kroll at Mother Jones has a report on leaked documents showing the cozy relationship between Freedomworks and the owners of Cancer Treatment Centers of America.
Freedomworks, as you might recall, bills themselves as a small donor 'grassroots' organization. They're anything but that."
"Hey, Justice Scalia, I'm sure glad money in politics doesn't corrupt people. Oh, wait.
Andy Kroll at Mother Jones has a report on leaked documents showing the cozy relationship between Freedomworks and the owners of Cancer Treatment Centers of America.
Freedomworks, as you might recall, bills themselves as a small donor 'grassroots' organization. They're anything but that."
Vote Cancelled On Border Crisis Bill; GOP Tells Obama To Act Alone
Vote Cancelled On Border Crisis Bill; GOP Tells Obama To Act Alone
"One day after authorizing a lawsuit against President Obama for taking executive action, Speaker Boehner yanked the border crisis bill from the floor as House Republicans issued a statement calling for the President to act on his own."
"One day after authorizing a lawsuit against President Obama for taking executive action, Speaker Boehner yanked the border crisis bill from the floor as House Republicans issued a statement calling for the President to act on his own."
Wednesday, July 30, 2014
Want to kick Rep. Steve King out of office? Help us elect Jim Mowrer
www.dailykos.com/story/2014/07/29/1317586/-Want-to-kick-Rep-Steve-King-out-of-office-Help-us-elect-Jim-Mowrer
"Iowa would be doing a service to the entire nation to replace King with Jim Mowrer, an Iraq war veteran who returned to work at the Pentagon after his active service in the National Guard. He's an award-winning civil servant, in fact, having received the "Outstanding Civilian Service Award," the third-highest honor a civilian can get for helping increase the efficiency of the Army. Now that's an achievement."
"Iowa would be doing a service to the entire nation to replace King with Jim Mowrer, an Iraq war veteran who returned to work at the Pentagon after his active service in the National Guard. He's an award-winning civil servant, in fact, having received the "Outstanding Civilian Service Award," the third-highest honor a civilian can get for helping increase the efficiency of the Army. Now that's an achievement."
ALEC Agenda: Gutting Medicaid, Privatizing Schools, Exports
ALEC Agenda: Gutting Medicaid, Privatizing Schools, Exports
"At this largest of its three annual national conferences, state legislators from across the country will meet with corporate and special interest lobbyists behind closed doors to vote on "model" legislation to change state laws."
"At this largest of its three annual national conferences, state legislators from across the country will meet with corporate and special interest lobbyists behind closed doors to vote on "model" legislation to change state laws."
Senate Republicans Vote Against American Jobs By Blocking Bill To End Outsourcing Tax Breaks
www.politicususa.com/2014/07/30/senate-republicans-vote-american-jobs-blocking-bill-outsourcing-tax-breaks.html
"Senate Republicans blocked a bill today that would potentially bring millions of jobs back to the United States by refusing to end tax breaks for companies who outsource jobs."
"Senate Republicans blocked a bill today that would potentially bring millions of jobs back to the United States by refusing to end tax breaks for companies who outsource jobs."
Republicans Stall On Pope Francis Recognition Because He "Sounds Like Obama"
Republicans Stall On Pope Francis Recognition Because He "Sounds Like Obama"
"Formal recognition by the House has stalled because Republicans worry Pope Francis sounds "too liberal". Yeah. Really."
"Formal recognition by the House has stalled because Republicans worry Pope Francis sounds "too liberal". Yeah. Really."
Utility Trade Group Funds ALEC Attack on Americans Using Solar
Utility Trade Group Funds ALEC Attack on Americans Using Solar
"Through ALEC's bill and campaign, the group has been pushing changes to state laws that would increase costs for homeowners with solar who sell excess energy back to the grid, known as “net metering.”
"Through ALEC's bill and campaign, the group has been pushing changes to state laws that would increase costs for homeowners with solar who sell excess energy back to the grid, known as “net metering.”
Leaked Docs: How a Secret FreedomWorks Donor Sought a Return on Its "Investments"
www.motherjones.com/politics/2014/07/freedomworks-switzerland-richard-stephenson-matt-kibbe
"Richard Stephenson, who founded CTCA in 1988, is a longtime supporter of libertarian causes. Described by a former FreedomWorks employee as "hard core" and a "true believer," Stephenson served on the board of Citizens for a Sound Economy, a corporate-funded advocacy group co-founded by the Koch brothers that fought the Clinton administration's health care reform plan and other initiatives. In 2003, due to internal bickering, Citizens for a Sound Economy split in two. The Kochs broke off to form Americans for Prosperity, and Stephenson, former House majority leader Dick Armey, and the libertarian activist Matt Kibbe launched FreedomWorks."
"Richard Stephenson, who founded CTCA in 1988, is a longtime supporter of libertarian causes. Described by a former FreedomWorks employee as "hard core" and a "true believer," Stephenson served on the board of Citizens for a Sound Economy, a corporate-funded advocacy group co-founded by the Koch brothers that fought the Clinton administration's health care reform plan and other initiatives. In 2003, due to internal bickering, Citizens for a Sound Economy split in two. The Kochs broke off to form Americans for Prosperity, and Stephenson, former House majority leader Dick Armey, and the libertarian activist Matt Kibbe launched FreedomWorks."
Fox Host Claims Conservatives Aren't Talking About Impeachment 12 Days After One Called For Impeachment On His Show
www.mediamatters.org/blog/2014/07/29/fox-host-claims-conservatives-arent-talking-abo/200235
"Fox & Friends co-host Steve Doocy displayed a striking disregard for reality, claiming that conservatives are "not talking about" impeaching President Obama while failing to note that just days ago, Fox's Andrew Napolitano called for impeachment on the same show."
"Fox & Friends co-host Steve Doocy displayed a striking disregard for reality, claiming that conservatives are "not talking about" impeaching President Obama while failing to note that just days ago, Fox's Andrew Napolitano called for impeachment on the same show."
Fox News’ “War on Christianity”: How right-wing hacks created a sect of victims
Fox News’ “War on Christianity”: How right-wing hacks created a sect of victims
"The claims of religious persecution are laughable even on cursory examination, but this slice of American self-delusion can no longer be ignored. The manufactured war on Christians provides cover for fundamentalist to perpetrate actual discrimination, against gay people, religious minorities and women."
"The claims of religious persecution are laughable even on cursory examination, but this slice of American self-delusion can no longer be ignored. The manufactured war on Christians provides cover for fundamentalist to perpetrate actual discrimination, against gay people, religious minorities and women."
Iowa’s Joni Ernst: The Todd Akin of 2014?
Iowa’s Joni Ernst: The Todd Akin of 2014?
"Bottom line: States can’t nullify federal laws. It’s unconstitutional."
"Bottom line: States can’t nullify federal laws. It’s unconstitutional."
Tuesday, July 29, 2014
Alabama state officials: We won’t comply with the EPA because God gave us coal
Alabama state officials: We won’t comply with the EPA because God gave us coal
"Alabama state officials say that EPA carbon standards violate God's law. Seriously."
"Alabama state officials say that EPA carbon standards violate God's law. Seriously."
Texas GOP’s platform is an Ayn Randian fever dream
Texas GOP’s platform is an Ayn Randian fever dream
"we give you the official 2014 platform of the Republican Party of Texas, 40 pages of unrestrained, right-wing bluster against you name it — women, minorities, immigrants, Muslims, gays, Obamacare, the Internal Revenue Service, red light cameras, the EPA, the World Bank, vaccinations — well, you get the picture. In the spirit of the Alamo, this is a work straight out of the 19th century with no option for surrender."
"we give you the official 2014 platform of the Republican Party of Texas, 40 pages of unrestrained, right-wing bluster against you name it — women, minorities, immigrants, Muslims, gays, Obamacare, the Internal Revenue Service, red light cameras, the EPA, the World Bank, vaccinations — well, you get the picture. In the spirit of the Alamo, this is a work straight out of the 19th century with no option for surrender."
People Living In The South Have Shorter, Sicker Life Expectancies Than Other Americans
www.thinkprogress.org/health/2014/07/28/3464905/disparities-southern-poverty-belt/
"The trend is obvious throughout what has been dubbed the “poverty belt,” where more than one in three people live in high-poverty areas"
"The trend is obvious throughout what has been dubbed the “poverty belt,” where more than one in three people live in high-poverty areas"
Shocker! Koch Youth Group Backs Koch Politician Signing Koch-Approved ALEC Bill
Shocker! Koch Youth Group Backs Koch Politician Signing Koch-Approved ALEC Bill
"In 2012, Gen Opp received $5 million from Freedom Partners, a key part of the Koch political apparatus which raised some $256 million for the 2012 election cycle from deep pocketed donors many of whom have donated a million dollars or more to the Koch network in response to appeals from the Kochs at their donor retreats. It was almost a year after that election that tax filings first revealed the existence of Freedom Partners, which is stocked with Koch operatives, had bankrolled almost the entirety of the "grassroots" opposition to "Obamacare." Gen Opp also received over $2 million from TC4 Trust another Koch-tied conduit in 2012."
"In 2012, Gen Opp received $5 million from Freedom Partners, a key part of the Koch political apparatus which raised some $256 million for the 2012 election cycle from deep pocketed donors many of whom have donated a million dollars or more to the Koch network in response to appeals from the Kochs at their donor retreats. It was almost a year after that election that tax filings first revealed the existence of Freedom Partners, which is stocked with Koch operatives, had bankrolled almost the entirety of the "grassroots" opposition to "Obamacare." Gen Opp also received over $2 million from TC4 Trust another Koch-tied conduit in 2012."
Chris Christie Brags About Being 'The Decider'
Chris Christie Brags About Being 'The Decider'
"Newark voters elected Mayor Ras Baraka knowing full well he is a huge proponent of public education. One might infer that they, too, are supporters of public education.
Chris Christie, on the other hand, has done everything in his power to break the public school systems. From promoting charter schools to vouchers, he walks the typical Republican line when it comes to his vision for schools."
"Newark voters elected Mayor Ras Baraka knowing full well he is a huge proponent of public education. One might infer that they, too, are supporters of public education.
Chris Christie, on the other hand, has done everything in his power to break the public school systems. From promoting charter schools to vouchers, he walks the typical Republican line when it comes to his vision for schools."
Here's what Mitch McConnell wants to repeal from his home state
www.dailykos.com/story/2014/07/28/1317335/-Here-s-what-Mitch-McConnell-wants-to-repeal-from-his-home-state
"take a look at what Kentucky's uninsurance rates looked like before Obamacare—all the red areas are 17 percent or higher"
"take a look at what Kentucky's uninsurance rates looked like before Obamacare—all the red areas are 17 percent or higher"
Stop The Presses, House Republicans Ready To Govern Now!
Stop The Presses, House Republicans Ready To Govern Now!
"Keep in mind, this serious attempt at a week's worth of governing will come in the same week where they authorize Boehner to sue the President for enforcing a law they've voted to repeal over 50 times in the last four years."
"Keep in mind, this serious attempt at a week's worth of governing will come in the same week where they authorize Boehner to sue the President for enforcing a law they've voted to repeal over 50 times in the last four years."
Monday, July 28, 2014
GOP Mayor Walks From North Carolina To Washington, DC To Fight For Medicaid
GOP Mayor Walks From North Carolina To Washington, DC To Fight For Medicaid
"This week we're going to hear a lot about Paul Ryan's sudden conversion from shamer of the poors to pretend advocate for the poors. But he's just window-dressing. The real work is being done in the streets, by a North Carolina mayor."
"This week we're going to hear a lot about Paul Ryan's sudden conversion from shamer of the poors to pretend advocate for the poors. But he's just window-dressing. The real work is being done in the streets, by a North Carolina mayor."
GOPer Asks Secessionists To Rise For 'National Anthem,' And Then Sings 'Dixie' Instead
GOPer Asks Secessionists To Rise For 'National Anthem,' And Then Sings 'Dixie' Instead
"Video has surfaced of a Maryland Republican nominee for Anne Arundel County Council singing "Dixie" as the national anthem at a secession conference in Alabama."
"Video has surfaced of a Maryland Republican nominee for Anne Arundel County Council singing "Dixie" as the national anthem at a secession conference in Alabama."
5 Myths The Koch Brothers Want Millennials To Believe About Obamacare
www.thinkprogress.org/health/2014/07/28/3464433/koch-carnival-obamacare/
"In order to dissuade young people from participating in Obamacare, the Care-nival was riddled with misleading facts that often cited Freedom Works, another Koch-funded group."
"In order to dissuade young people from participating in Obamacare, the Care-nival was riddled with misleading facts that often cited Freedom Works, another Koch-funded group."
GOP’s 30-year spin job is over: Why we are not a center-right nation
GOP’s 30-year spin job is over: Why we are <em>not</em> a center-right nation
"The tendency of the American public to vote based upon party or cultural identification rather than objective policy preferences creates a situation where almost half of our political representation in the federal government supports policies that are supported by only a tiny minority of the total population; this is what has led Congress to have a 13 percent approval rating, up slightly from when it cratered to 9 percent in late 2013."
"The tendency of the American public to vote based upon party or cultural identification rather than objective policy preferences creates a situation where almost half of our political representation in the federal government supports policies that are supported by only a tiny minority of the total population; this is what has led Congress to have a 13 percent approval rating, up slightly from when it cratered to 9 percent in late 2013."
Sunday, July 27, 2014
Here's What Happened to One State After its Republican Governor Implemented an Extreme Tax Cutting "Experiment"
www.alternet.org/tea-party-and-right/heres-what-happened-one-state-after-its-republican-governor-implemented-extreme
"Today, the fruits of Brownback's experiment include a state budget deficit of nearly $340 million this year; a decision by Moody's to lower the rating on Kansas bonds; a growing gap in education funding at every level, from kindergarten through college; a ruinous reduction in state and local workforces across the state; and a future that promises even larger deficits and service cutbacks to come."
"Today, the fruits of Brownback's experiment include a state budget deficit of nearly $340 million this year; a decision by Moody's to lower the rating on Kansas bonds; a growing gap in education funding at every level, from kindergarten through college; a ruinous reduction in state and local workforces across the state; and a future that promises even larger deficits and service cutbacks to come."
Ethnic Studies is not racist. But guess who is?
www.dailykos.com/story/2014/07/27/1316184/-Ethnic-Studies-is-not-racist-But-guess-who-is
"This guy. John Huppenthal. An elected Republican official, currently running for re-election in Arizona. What's worse than his just being a garden-variety bigot is that he is the Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction, who was elected in 2010, and is a former state senator and state representative."
"This guy. John Huppenthal. An elected Republican official, currently running for re-election in Arizona. What's worse than his just being a garden-variety bigot is that he is the Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction, who was elected in 2010, and is a former state senator and state representative."
10 Ways Conservatives Don’t Act Anything Like Christians
www.forwardprogressives.com/10-ways-conservatives-dont-act-anything-like-christians/
"I’m not quite sure how you call yourself a “Christian” while supporting a political party that vilifies poor people as lazy moochers seeking a handout."
"I’m not quite sure how you call yourself a “Christian” while supporting a political party that vilifies poor people as lazy moochers seeking a handout."
6 Despicable Right-Wing Moments This Week—Fox News' Anti-Immigrant Hysteria
www.alternet.org/tea-party-and-right/6-despicable-right-wing-moments-week-fox-news-anti-immigrant-hysteria?page=0%2C0
"Fox & Friends found a unique, and uniquely mean-spirited angle on the undocumented immigrant/unaccompanied minor story this week."
"Fox & Friends found a unique, and uniquely mean-spirited angle on the undocumented immigrant/unaccompanied minor story this week."
Saturday, July 26, 2014
The Nation’s Highways Are Shot
www.politicususa.com/2014/07/26/nations-highways-shot.html
"The longer this thing gets politically batted around by the anti-tax, anti-fed, hypnotized, sell-out, pro-billionaire red states, the more it’s going to cost to repair our roads and build new ones in the future. I would guess, and it’s only a guess, that in ten years, the prices of everything included in repair and new highway builds will double. Somewhere, sometime, somebody is going to have to pay the piper.
Loopholes cost America $600 billion in taxes domestically every year. Worldwide, $21 trillion is being hidden offshore. And that number comes from Forbes. In our incentives and no-tax lust to attract lousy paying jobs from anti-union, enormously greedy big name companies, we’re ruining America."
"The longer this thing gets politically batted around by the anti-tax, anti-fed, hypnotized, sell-out, pro-billionaire red states, the more it’s going to cost to repair our roads and build new ones in the future. I would guess, and it’s only a guess, that in ten years, the prices of everything included in repair and new highway builds will double. Somewhere, sometime, somebody is going to have to pay the piper.
Loopholes cost America $600 billion in taxes domestically every year. Worldwide, $21 trillion is being hidden offshore. And that number comes from Forbes. In our incentives and no-tax lust to attract lousy paying jobs from anti-union, enormously greedy big name companies, we’re ruining America."
The Ryan Budget in Sheep’s Clothing?
www.americanprogress.org/issues/poverty/news/2014/07/24/94460/the-ryan-budget-in-sheeps-clothing/
"For the past four years, Rep. Ryan has set forth budgets that get approximately two-thirds of their cuts from programs that help low- and moderate-income families. His most recent iteration, released in April 2014, would turn Medicare into a voucher, cause more than 40 million people to lose their health care coverage, kick up to 10 million people off of nutrition assistance, and starve the part of the budget that funds education, child care, the Head Start program, worker training, and housing. These savings would go toward financing new tax cuts primarily for millionaires and large corporations."
"For the past four years, Rep. Ryan has set forth budgets that get approximately two-thirds of their cuts from programs that help low- and moderate-income families. His most recent iteration, released in April 2014, would turn Medicare into a voucher, cause more than 40 million people to lose their health care coverage, kick up to 10 million people off of nutrition assistance, and starve the part of the budget that funds education, child care, the Head Start program, worker training, and housing. These savings would go toward financing new tax cuts primarily for millionaires and large corporations."
The USAF Prepares to Cry Havoc and Let Slip the Dogs of Fundamentalist Christian Proselytizing War
The USAF Prepares to Cry Havoc and Let Slip the Dogs of Fundamentalist Christian Proselytizing War
"Would the United States Air Force sooner throw the basic religious rights of Air Force personnel into a stinking garbage heap than "court controversy" with Tea Party bigots and religious extremists in the United States Congress and their incestuous gangs of fundamentalist Christian, parasitic parachurch organizations like the Family Research Council (FRC), the American Family Association (AFA), Focus on the Family (FOF) and the Officers Christian Fellowship (OCF) to name only a few of these rapaciously religious extremist entities?
Sadly, telltale signs of dubious, constitutional queasiness and pathetically faux ambivalence by Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III have clearly revealed that this may well be the case. The floodgates of state-sponsored evangelizing/proselytizing and fundamentalist Christian supremacy, exceptionalism and primacy by newly emboldened "Hobby Lobby"-style Christian fundamentalists within the Air Force are set to literally fly open, with devastating effect."
"Would the United States Air Force sooner throw the basic religious rights of Air Force personnel into a stinking garbage heap than "court controversy" with Tea Party bigots and religious extremists in the United States Congress and their incestuous gangs of fundamentalist Christian, parasitic parachurch organizations like the Family Research Council (FRC), the American Family Association (AFA), Focus on the Family (FOF) and the Officers Christian Fellowship (OCF) to name only a few of these rapaciously religious extremist entities?
Sadly, telltale signs of dubious, constitutional queasiness and pathetically faux ambivalence by Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III have clearly revealed that this may well be the case. The floodgates of state-sponsored evangelizing/proselytizing and fundamentalist Christian supremacy, exceptionalism and primacy by newly emboldened "Hobby Lobby"-style Christian fundamentalists within the Air Force are set to literally fly open, with devastating effect."
A New Wave of Wacko Evangelicals Swept GOP Primaries—and Could Win Several Seats in Washington
www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/new-wave-wacko-evangelicals-swept-gop-primaries-and-could-win-several-seats?page=0%2C0
"the trick by the rich to dupe the predominantly working and middle class Christian right into voting for their political party never wears off."
"the trick by the rich to dupe the predominantly working and middle class Christian right into voting for their political party never wears off."
Paul Ryan Continues To Pretend He Gives A Damn About The Poor
www.addictinginfo.org/2014/07/25/paul-ryan-poverty/
"The idea that Paul Ryan is serious about helping the poor is about as unserious as it gets."
"The idea that Paul Ryan is serious about helping the poor is about as unserious as it gets."
Shocker! Koch Youth Group Backs Koch Politician Signing Koch-Approved ALEC Bill
Shocker! Koch Youth Group Backs Koch Politician Signing Koch-Approved ALEC Bill
"Federal data puts Wisconsin in the 37th spot of all 50 states for new job creation and dead last among its Midwestern neighbors in job creation.
But the facts haven't stopped the Koch spin machine. Koch's American's for Prosperity Group recently spent nearly $900,000 on another round of TV ads sticking to their old mantra regarding the Walker agenda -- "It's Working!" after spending millions on the same message during Walker's 2012 recall election. And, a Koch-controlled foundation helped underwrite ALEC's "Rich States, Poor States" report which pumped up Wisconsin's purported economic grade despite the state's actually dismal economic performance. In 2010, Koch Industries PAC contributed $43,000 to Walker's campaign directly.
Wisconsinites who've had the misfortune of living through Walker's divisive and ineffective economic policies, were quick to respond to the Gen Opp spin with snark, facts and outrage"
"Federal data puts Wisconsin in the 37th spot of all 50 states for new job creation and dead last among its Midwestern neighbors in job creation.
But the facts haven't stopped the Koch spin machine. Koch's American's for Prosperity Group recently spent nearly $900,000 on another round of TV ads sticking to their old mantra regarding the Walker agenda -- "It's Working!" after spending millions on the same message during Walker's 2012 recall election. And, a Koch-controlled foundation helped underwrite ALEC's "Rich States, Poor States" report which pumped up Wisconsin's purported economic grade despite the state's actually dismal economic performance. In 2010, Koch Industries PAC contributed $43,000 to Walker's campaign directly.
Wisconsinites who've had the misfortune of living through Walker's divisive and ineffective economic policies, were quick to respond to the Gen Opp spin with snark, facts and outrage"
Lawmaker Introduces Bill Forcing Schools To Show Conservative Filmmaker Dinesh D’Souza’s Anti-Liberal Movie
www.addictinginfo.org/2014/07/25/lawmaker-introduces-bill-forcing-schools-to-show-conservative-filmmaker-dinesh-dsouzas-anti-liberal-movie/
"D’Souza is a convicted felon that is likely going to prison later this year. In early 2014, he was indicted on federal charges related to violating campaign finance laws in support of conservative candidates he favored in national elections. He later plead guilty and now awaits his final sentencing. He is not exactly the model of above-the-table trustworthiness. Whether it is for elections or filmmaking"
"D’Souza is a convicted felon that is likely going to prison later this year. In early 2014, he was indicted on federal charges related to violating campaign finance laws in support of conservative candidates he favored in national elections. He later plead guilty and now awaits his final sentencing. He is not exactly the model of above-the-table trustworthiness. Whether it is for elections or filmmaking"
Friday, July 25, 2014
GOP Madness Surfaces in Texas
www.consortiumnews.com/2014/07/23/gop-madness-surfaces-in-texas/
"The Tea Party extremism boiling from beneath the Republican Party bubbled to the top in the GOP’s Texas state platform revealing ugly bigotries and a frantic know-nothing-ism"
"The Tea Party extremism boiling from beneath the Republican Party bubbled to the top in the GOP’s Texas state platform revealing ugly bigotries and a frantic know-nothing-ism"
Most Female Voters Say They Won’t Support Politicians Who Back Hobby Lobby
www.thinkprogress.org/health/2014/07/25/3464343/female-voters-hobby-lobby-candidates/
"Some GOP candidates have already run into tight spots attempting to avoid going on the record as supporting Hobby Lobby. Scott Brown, who is running for a Senate seat in New Hampshire, reportedly “took shelter in the bathroom” last week to avoid answering a reporter’s questions about his opinion on the Supreme Court’s ruling."
"Some GOP candidates have already run into tight spots attempting to avoid going on the record as supporting Hobby Lobby. Scott Brown, who is running for a Senate seat in New Hampshire, reportedly “took shelter in the bathroom” last week to avoid answering a reporter’s questions about his opinion on the Supreme Court’s ruling."
Crazy Bigoted Republican Will Replace Crazy Bigoted GOP Congressman In Georgia
www.politicususa.com/2014/07/23/crazy-bigoted-republican-replace-crazy-bigoted-gop-congressman-georgia.html
"Congratulations, Georgia’s 10th District, for keeping the crazy alive and well in Congress."
"Congratulations, Georgia’s 10th District, for keeping the crazy alive and well in Congress."
Likely Georgia Congressman Thinks Women Should Get Husbands’ Permission Before Entering Politics
www.thinkprogress.org/election/2014/07/23/3463175/georgia-jody-hice/
"Hice argued that women should receive permission from their husband before running for office. “If the woman’s within the authority of her husband, I don’t see a problem,” Hice said."
"Hice argued that women should receive permission from their husband before running for office. “If the woman’s within the authority of her husband, I don’t see a problem,” Hice said."
The World Congress Of Families’ Terrifying Vision For Women, Part One: Rape Is Imaginary?
www.twocare.org/the-world-congress-of-families-terrifying-vision-for-women-part-one-rape-is-imaginary/
"What’s important to note is that the World Congress of Families is a large conglomeration of organizations, with each member bringing its own special brand of wingnuttery to the table."
"What’s important to note is that the World Congress of Families is a large conglomeration of organizations, with each member bringing its own special brand of wingnuttery to the table."
Rifle-toting birthers at JFK murder site rebuke ‘foreigners’ and ‘sexually-charged’ women
www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/07/23/rifle-toting-birthers-at-jfk-murder-site-rebuke-foreigners-and-sexually-charged-women/
"Documents displayed by the demonstrators include information about New York Pastor James David Manning, who has criticized President Barack Obama for releasing “the homo demons,” and who also believes that Jesus would “stone” LGBT people to death."
"Documents displayed by the demonstrators include information about New York Pastor James David Manning, who has criticized President Barack Obama for releasing “the homo demons,” and who also believes that Jesus would “stone” LGBT people to death."
John C. Wright: Women Must ‘Obey’ Their Husbands Because Men Are Christ-Like
www.addictinginfo.org/2014/07/24/john-c-wright-sexism/
"Wright’s Neanderthal view of gender is hardly atypical for conservatives and is the core of the right’s war on women’s rights. The idea that women should be equal to men in our society is terrifying to them. The reasons for this are numerous and a topic for another time but the fact remains that the right, especially the religious right, is openly hostile to progress for women."
"Wright’s Neanderthal view of gender is hardly atypical for conservatives and is the core of the right’s war on women’s rights. The idea that women should be equal to men in our society is terrifying to them. The reasons for this are numerous and a topic for another time but the fact remains that the right, especially the religious right, is openly hostile to progress for women."
Republican Accused of Sexually Assaulting Aide, Pays Lawyers With Campaign Funds
www.addictinginfo.org/2014/07/24/republican-accused-of-sexually-assaulting-aide-pays-lawyers-with-campaign-funds/
"Campaign finance reports from have revealed that campaign donations to Republican State Legislator Bill Kramer of Wisconsin have been siphoned into a legal fund to battle sexual assault charges made against him."
"Campaign finance reports from have revealed that campaign donations to Republican State Legislator Bill Kramer of Wisconsin have been siphoned into a legal fund to battle sexual assault charges made against him."
House Republican Hearing On The Harmful Impact of Obamacare Completely Backfires
www.politicususa.com/2014/07/24/house-republican-hearing-harmful-impact-obamacare-completely-backfires.html
"Republicans repeatedly called Obamacare a raid on Medicare despite the fact that their own experts, who were sitting right in front of them, disagreed. The scene was surreal. Republicans kept discussing how Obamacare is destroying Medicare while ignoring the facts that were being presented to them at their own hearing.
The hearing itself was another waste of time and money as House Republicans continue to try to convince the American people that affordable access to healthcare is a bad thing.
Republicans may have lost the battle and the war, but they are never going to stop lying about Obamacare."
"Republicans repeatedly called Obamacare a raid on Medicare despite the fact that their own experts, who were sitting right in front of them, disagreed. The scene was surreal. Republicans kept discussing how Obamacare is destroying Medicare while ignoring the facts that were being presented to them at their own hearing.
The hearing itself was another waste of time and money as House Republicans continue to try to convince the American people that affordable access to healthcare is a bad thing.
Republicans may have lost the battle and the war, but they are never going to stop lying about Obamacare."
Arkansas Senate Nominee Touts Emergency Funds He Voted Against
www.thinkprogress.org/election/2014/07/25/3464146/tom-cotton-emergency-aid/
"Rep. Tom Cotton (R-AR) has repeatedly voted against emergency funding for disaster relief, but attempted to take credit on Wednesday for the Obama administration’s approval of aid for 23 counties in Arkansas."
"Rep. Tom Cotton (R-AR) has repeatedly voted against emergency funding for disaster relief, but attempted to take credit on Wednesday for the Obama administration’s approval of aid for 23 counties in Arkansas."
Paul Ryan’s Faux Populism Isn’t Going to End Poverty or Reduce Inequality | The Nation
Paul Ryan’s Faux Populism Isn’t Going to End Poverty or Reduce Inequality | The Nation
"He is rebranding himself.
He has downloaded some populist rhetoric to go with his “kinder, gentler” talk about poverty.
But Paul Ryan’s populism is not the real thing. It’s the Koch-tested, Koch-approved version."
"He is rebranding himself.
He has downloaded some populist rhetoric to go with his “kinder, gentler” talk about poverty.
But Paul Ryan’s populism is not the real thing. It’s the Koch-tested, Koch-approved version."
House Republicans Behave Like Criminals While Advancing Obama Lawsuit
www.politicususa.com/2014/07/24/house-republicans-behave-criminals-advancing-obama-lawsuit-legislation.html
"This is the House Republican way. They voted to move forward with a lawsuit against President Obama while rejecting any attempt to keep taxpayers informed about the cost. The Boehner lawsuit is already turning into an anchor around the necks of House Republicans. What began as a cheap gimmick to get out the Republican vote has turned into a Democratic agenda setting multi-million dollar boondoggle for taxpayers"
"This is the House Republican way. They voted to move forward with a lawsuit against President Obama while rejecting any attempt to keep taxpayers informed about the cost. The Boehner lawsuit is already turning into an anchor around the necks of House Republicans. What began as a cheap gimmick to get out the Republican vote has turned into a Democratic agenda setting multi-million dollar boondoggle for taxpayers"
Thursday News Roundup Of Stories You Might Have Missed
Thursday News Roundup Of Stories You Might Have Missed
"Here are some of the best reports, investigations, exposées, and debunkery of the wingnutosphere this week"
"Here are some of the best reports, investigations, exposées, and debunkery of the wingnutosphere this week"
Thursday, July 24, 2014
Thanks To Obamacare, You Might Be Getting An Insurance Refund
www.addictinginfo.org/2014/07/24/thanks-to-obamacare-you-might-be-getting-an-insurance-refund/
"A generally ignored by Fox News part of the Affordable Care Act (aka, Obamacare) mandates that insurance companies spend at least $.80 of every dollar on *gulp* healthcare. The other $.20 can go toward administrative costs and all the other perks that CEOs of giant insurance companies enjoy. The law is even stricter when the policy is sold to a large employer, with a full 85 percent needing to go to healthcare."
"A generally ignored by Fox News part of the Affordable Care Act (aka, Obamacare) mandates that insurance companies spend at least $.80 of every dollar on *gulp* healthcare. The other $.20 can go toward administrative costs and all the other perks that CEOs of giant insurance companies enjoy. The law is even stricter when the policy is sold to a large employer, with a full 85 percent needing to go to healthcare."
Ugly Right-Wing Underbelly of the Libertarian Cause on Display at Silicon Valley Conference
www.alternet.org/election-2014/ugly-right-wing-underbelly-libertarian-cause-display-silicon-valley-conference?page=0%2C0
"Start with the “two libertarianisms, the hick fascism version owned by the Koch brothers, essentially rebranding Joe McCarthy with a pot leaf and a ponytail; and Silicon Valley’s emerging brand of optimistic, half-understood libertarianism, part hippie cybernetics, part hot-tub-Hayek,” he writes, referring to Friedrich Hayek, the Austrian economist worshipped by Libertarians. But there’s more."
"Start with the “two libertarianisms, the hick fascism version owned by the Koch brothers, essentially rebranding Joe McCarthy with a pot leaf and a ponytail; and Silicon Valley’s emerging brand of optimistic, half-understood libertarianism, part hippie cybernetics, part hot-tub-Hayek,” he writes, referring to Friedrich Hayek, the Austrian economist worshipped by Libertarians. But there’s more."
Meet the New GOP Prototype for Enriching Local Elites While Enacting Christian Right Dogma
www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/meet-new-gop-prototype-enriching-local-elites-while-enacting-christian-right-dogma?page=0%2C0
"Today, Kansas is in fiscal ruin. The Wall Street Journal reported that tax revenues fell by $685 million in the first 11 months of the fiscal year, putting Kansas on track to blow through its $700 million reserve fund by the middle of next year. With 40 percent of state revenue traditionally coming from those taxes and no specific plan to make up the shortfall, Moody’s Investor Service recently downgraded the state’s debt rating."
"Today, Kansas is in fiscal ruin. The Wall Street Journal reported that tax revenues fell by $685 million in the first 11 months of the fiscal year, putting Kansas on track to blow through its $700 million reserve fund by the middle of next year. With 40 percent of state revenue traditionally coming from those taxes and no specific plan to make up the shortfall, Moody’s Investor Service recently downgraded the state’s debt rating."
Obamacare Has Helped Americans Save Nearly $2 Billion On Their Insurance Premiums
www.thinkprogress.org/health/2014/07/24/3463602/obamacare-premium-savings/
"Millions of Americans can expect to get a refund from their insurance companies this year, at an average of about $80 dollars per family, thanks to a little-known Obamacare provision that’s helping people save money on their premiums. According to a new report released by the Health and Human Services Department on Thursday, Americans across the country have received a total of $1.9 billion dollars in rebates since this provision first took effect in 2011."
"Millions of Americans can expect to get a refund from their insurance companies this year, at an average of about $80 dollars per family, thanks to a little-known Obamacare provision that’s helping people save money on their premiums. According to a new report released by the Health and Human Services Department on Thursday, Americans across the country have received a total of $1.9 billion dollars in rebates since this provision first took effect in 2011."
Tuesday, July 22, 2014
Legalized Bribery Has Allowed Sheldon Adelson to Buy and Sell Politicians
Legalized Bribery Has Allowed Sheldon Adelson to Buy and Sell Politicians
"Shelley Adelson dumping $100 million into our democracy and Wall Street executives having a change of heart and trying to buy up seats in the Senate are just two examples of the rampant bribery that's taken over American politics, which is considered both immoral and illegal in virtually every other developed country in the world."
"Shelley Adelson dumping $100 million into our democracy and Wall Street executives having a change of heart and trying to buy up seats in the Senate are just two examples of the rampant bribery that's taken over American politics, which is considered both immoral and illegal in virtually every other developed country in the world."
Backed by Big Telecom, GOP Takes Aim at Net Neutrality and Community Broadband
Backed by Big Telecom, GOP Takes Aim at Net Neutrality and Community Broadband
"Why are members of Congress trying to derail popular efforts at the FCC to establish meaningful net neutrality rules? The answer is easy: just follow the money."
"Why are members of Congress trying to derail popular efforts at the FCC to establish meaningful net neutrality rules? The answer is easy: just follow the money."
PERRspectives: The Pro-Tax Evasion, Pro-Deficits GOP Strikes Again
PERRspectives: The Pro-Tax Evasion, Pro-Deficits GOP Strikes Again
"By severely limiting the ability of the IRS to audit, identify and prosecute tax cheats, Republicans will once again cost the United States Treasury billions more in lost revenue. And if you feel like you've seen this movie before, that's because you have."
"By severely limiting the ability of the IRS to audit, identify and prosecute tax cheats, Republicans will once again cost the United States Treasury billions more in lost revenue. And if you feel like you've seen this movie before, that's because you have."
Fox News Chief Political Correspondent Fundraising For A GOP And Koch-Linked Group
www.mediamatters.org/blog/2014/07/22/fox-news-chief-political-correspondent-fundrais/200162
"Fox News chief political correspondent Carl Cameron will speak at a fundraiser benefiting a group run by former Republican Party officials and linked to controversial industrialists Charles and David Koch."
"Fox News chief political correspondent Carl Cameron will speak at a fundraiser benefiting a group run by former Republican Party officials and linked to controversial industrialists Charles and David Koch."
Secretive National Prayer Breakfast Group, "The Family" Linked to Hobby Lobby Case
www.alternet.org/tea-party-and-right/secretive-national-prayer-breakfast-group-family-linked-hobby-lobby-case
"Last year, from September 12-15, 2013 at the plush Phoenician Hotel in Scottsdale - a Versailles of the desert which bills itself as "Arizona's premier luxury resort destination", leading American evangelicals on the hard religious and political right, members of multimillionaire and billionaire clans - including owners of the Hobby Lobby chain - who represent some of the world's biggest fortunes gathered, socialized, dined and, as they do every year at The Gathering, laid plans for the slow motion religious, cultural, legal, and governmental re-engineering of, and Christian supremacist hegemony over, America and the world."
"Last year, from September 12-15, 2013 at the plush Phoenician Hotel in Scottsdale - a Versailles of the desert which bills itself as "Arizona's premier luxury resort destination", leading American evangelicals on the hard religious and political right, members of multimillionaire and billionaire clans - including owners of the Hobby Lobby chain - who represent some of the world's biggest fortunes gathered, socialized, dined and, as they do every year at The Gathering, laid plans for the slow motion religious, cultural, legal, and governmental re-engineering of, and Christian supremacist hegemony over, America and the world."
Rick Perry's Defense Attorney Once Tried To Turn Him In To The FBI
Rick Perry's Defense Attorney Once Tried To Turn Him In To The FBI
"The lawyer now entrusted with preventing a grand jury from bringing criminal charges against Gov. Rick Perry once tried to put Perry in jail."
"The lawyer now entrusted with preventing a grand jury from bringing criminal charges against Gov. Rick Perry once tried to put Perry in jail."
Rubio’s desperate immigration lie: Rewriting his own record to appease the Tea Party
Rubio’s desperate immigration lie: Rewriting his own record to appease the Tea Party
"Rubio says he warned the immigration bill wasn't tough enough, but that's not what he argued when he voted for it"
"Rubio says he warned the immigration bill wasn't tough enough, but that's not what he argued when he voted for it"
Fox's Starnes Attacks Michelle Obama Over Bogus Chick Fil-A 'Ban'
Fox's Starnes Attacks Michelle Obama Over Bogus Chick Fil-A 'Ban'
"Any attempt to interfere with that freedom is downright treason to Starnes, such as the recent removal of Chick Fil-A sandwiches from the vending machines of a South Carolina high school. For Starnes, this is an egregious offense linked directly to the evil machinations of our First Lady who has "declared war" on America's (and Jesus') favorite chicken! Starnes allegation is, as usual, just another southern fried lie and baseless personal attack. But he loves Jesus (and Chick fil-A) and Jesus loves fat kids, so it's all good..."
"Any attempt to interfere with that freedom is downright treason to Starnes, such as the recent removal of Chick Fil-A sandwiches from the vending machines of a South Carolina high school. For Starnes, this is an egregious offense linked directly to the evil machinations of our First Lady who has "declared war" on America's (and Jesus') favorite chicken! Starnes allegation is, as usual, just another southern fried lie and baseless personal attack. But he loves Jesus (and Chick fil-A) and Jesus loves fat kids, so it's all good..."
Fox News Correspondent Has A Meltdown Over Obama's LGBT Non-Discrimination Order
www.mediamatters.org/blog/2014/07/21/fox-news-correspondent-has-a-meltdown-over-obam/200157
"Starnes' commentary is typical of the Fox News personality, who's made a career acting as the network's mouthpiece for some of the country's most extreme anti-LGBT hate groups."
"Starnes' commentary is typical of the Fox News personality, who's made a career acting as the network's mouthpiece for some of the country's most extreme anti-LGBT hate groups."
Monday, July 21, 2014
Conservative ‘Christian’ Says President Obama’s Execution Should Be Worse Than Being Drawn And Quartered (VIDEO)
www.addictinginfo.org/2014/07/21/conservative-christian-says-president-obamas-execution-should-be-worse-than-being-drawn-and-quartered-video/
"It’s especially disturbing since these people have the gall to say these things and call themselves “Christians” at the same time. This madness will not end unless authorities or voters start taking this kind of talk more seriously. Everytime a conservative talks about killing the president, it’s a threat to national security and the political discourse. It’s the way conservatives stoke rage in the hope that one of their own will actually follow through and carry out the crime. It’s their way of trying to provoke fellow conservatives into overthrowing the government with a bloody coup just because they want their own way. It’s dangerous and shouldn’t be tolerated in a civilized society by anyone. Law enforcement authorities shouldn’t tolerate it and voters shouldn’t tolerate it either. Forget impeachment. THIS is what should really inspire Democrats to vote in 2014."
"It’s especially disturbing since these people have the gall to say these things and call themselves “Christians” at the same time. This madness will not end unless authorities or voters start taking this kind of talk more seriously. Everytime a conservative talks about killing the president, it’s a threat to national security and the political discourse. It’s the way conservatives stoke rage in the hope that one of their own will actually follow through and carry out the crime. It’s their way of trying to provoke fellow conservatives into overthrowing the government with a bloody coup just because they want their own way. It’s dangerous and shouldn’t be tolerated in a civilized society by anyone. Law enforcement authorities shouldn’t tolerate it and voters shouldn’t tolerate it either. Forget impeachment. THIS is what should really inspire Democrats to vote in 2014."
7 Silly Things Right-Wingers Got Angry About Last Week
www.alternet.org/tea-party-and-right/7-silly-things-right-wingers-got-angry-about-last-week
"The right has had to start looking in some dark corners for their outrages, but they were nothing if not resourceful."
"The right has had to start looking in some dark corners for their outrages, but they were nothing if not resourceful."
Journalistic Malpractice: The Media Enables the Right-Wing Politicization of Science
www.alternet.org/environment/journalistic-malpractice-media-enables-right-wing-politicization-science
"a broader, cautionary tale about how poorly the mainstream media holds conservatives accountable for their often specious scientific claims. Facts are the most precious currency of journalists, but if they aren’t willing to speak scientific truth to power—whether it’s on reproductive rights or evolution or climate change—it’s not just the press’s reputation that suffers. We all do."
"a broader, cautionary tale about how poorly the mainstream media holds conservatives accountable for their often specious scientific claims. Facts are the most precious currency of journalists, but if they aren’t willing to speak scientific truth to power—whether it’s on reproductive rights or evolution or climate change—it’s not just the press’s reputation that suffers. We all do."
Hospitals In Medicaid Opt-Out States Are Beginning To Face Money Problems
Hospitals In Medicaid Opt-Out States Are Beginning To Face Money Problems
"The contrast between Democratic and Republican states on health care continues to grow, according to a recent report from the Department of Health and Human Services. Among the 26 states and the District of Columbia joining the federal expansion of Medicaid, enrollment in the health plan for the poor rose 27 percent. By contrast, Medicaid enrollment rose just three percent in the two dozen states opting-out of the expansion, according to Forbes."
"The contrast between Democratic and Republican states on health care continues to grow, according to a recent report from the Department of Health and Human Services. Among the 26 states and the District of Columbia joining the federal expansion of Medicaid, enrollment in the health plan for the poor rose 27 percent. By contrast, Medicaid enrollment rose just three percent in the two dozen states opting-out of the expansion, according to Forbes."
GOP’s highway robbery: How self-styled patriots choke future growth, ensure American decline
GOP’s highway robbery: How self-styled patriots choke future growth, ensure American decline
"by turning their backs on infrastructure spending, today’s GOP is turning its back on a key aspect of its own identity "
"by turning their backs on infrastructure spending, today’s GOP is turning its back on a key aspect of its own identity "
Koch Political Universe Vaster than Previously Known
Koch Political Universe Vaster than Previously Known
"In January, the Washington Post and Center for Responsive Politics followed the $400 million money trail flowing from two Koch-connected funding vehicles, the 501(c)(6) Freedom Partners and 501(c)(4) Center to Protect Patient Rights (now called "American Encore"), to other politically active nonprofits, like David Koch's Americans for Prosperity and the American Future Fund. Many of the recipients of that funding spent money influencing elections, only a fraction of which was reported to the Federal Elections Commission."
"In January, the Washington Post and Center for Responsive Politics followed the $400 million money trail flowing from two Koch-connected funding vehicles, the 501(c)(6) Freedom Partners and 501(c)(4) Center to Protect Patient Rights (now called "American Encore"), to other politically active nonprofits, like David Koch's Americans for Prosperity and the American Future Fund. Many of the recipients of that funding spent money influencing elections, only a fraction of which was reported to the Federal Elections Commission."
Friday, July 18, 2014
America's Dumbest Congressman: 'Our continued existence is at risk' from refugee children
www.dailykos.com/story/2014/07/16/1314402/-America-s-Dumbest-Congressman-Our-continued-existence-is-at-risk-from-refugee-children
"Are these people ... stupid? Well, I know Louie Gohmert is, because he isn't America's Dumbest Congressman just for show."
"Are these people ... stupid? Well, I know Louie Gohmert is, because he isn't America's Dumbest Congressman just for show."
Top 10 Most Horrible Right Wing Reactions To The Border Crisis
www.addictinginfo.org/2014/07/18/border-crisis-right-wing-reactions/
"Angry white bigots drove away the black vote from the GOP for over half a century and they’ve learned absolutely nothing since then."
"Angry white bigots drove away the black vote from the GOP for over half a century and they’ve learned absolutely nothing since then."
Tony Perkins Fears Obama Will Start Putting Christians In Jail Any Day Now | Right Wing Watch
Tony Perkins Fears Obama Will Start Putting Christians In Jail Any Day Now | Right Wing Watch
"Tony Perkins invited Fox News’ go-to-Christian-persecution-commentator Todd Starnes to join him on the weekend edition of “Washington Watch,” where Starnes pointed to recent remarks by Rick Warren and Russell Moore warning of the imminent imprisonment of Christians in America as proof that Christians will indeed soon face jail sentences.
Perkins, who recently warned that gay rights advocates are about to launch an anti-Christian Holocaust, naturally agreed that such arrests are going to “play out very quickly in our day"."
"Tony Perkins invited Fox News’ go-to-Christian-persecution-commentator Todd Starnes to join him on the weekend edition of “Washington Watch,” where Starnes pointed to recent remarks by Rick Warren and Russell Moore warning of the imminent imprisonment of Christians in America as proof that Christians will indeed soon face jail sentences.
Perkins, who recently warned that gay rights advocates are about to launch an anti-Christian Holocaust, naturally agreed that such arrests are going to “play out very quickly in our day"."
Five States Gunning to Make Their Kids as Scientifically Illiterate as Possible by Teaching Creationism
Five States Gunning to Make Their Kids as Scientifically Illiterate as Possible by Teaching Creationism
"The states fighting to pass these laws are predictable if you pay attention to any national politics, the more red a state votes, the more it fights to remove science education from its schools or at the very least, replace science classes with a form of Bible study."
"The states fighting to pass these laws are predictable if you pay attention to any national politics, the more red a state votes, the more it fights to remove science education from its schools or at the very least, replace science classes with a form of Bible study."
9 sinister things the Christian right does in the name of God
9 sinister things the Christian right does in the name of God
"The Christian persecution complex is absurd. Modern American Christians are not persecuted or under attack. But for Christians who are truly concerned about hostility toward their faith, I have a bit of advice: Don’t be evil. And don’t let your co-religionists get away with being evil either.
No, really."
"The Christian persecution complex is absurd. Modern American Christians are not persecuted or under attack. But for Christians who are truly concerned about hostility toward their faith, I have a bit of advice: Don’t be evil. And don’t let your co-religionists get away with being evil either.
No, really."
Koch Brothers Pay Greg Abbott to Play Chemical Russian Roulette With Texas Residents
www.politicususa.com/2014/07/17/koch-brothers-pay-greg-abbott-play-chemical-russian-roulette-texas-residents.html
"The bottom line is Greg Abbott doesn’t want Texans to know if there are hazardous substances in their neighborhoods because his donors paid him off to keep that information secret."
"The bottom line is Greg Abbott doesn’t want Texans to know if there are hazardous substances in their neighborhoods because his donors paid him off to keep that information secret."
Americans Are Leaving Religion Behind and It Scares the Hell Out of the Christian Right
www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/americans-are-leaving-religion-behind-and-it-scares-hell-out-christian-right
"That’s the idea that’s animating the Christian right: They really do believe that everyone else owes them, that we are obligated to tithe to their churches and pray to their God and if we don’t want to do that, we should somehow be treated as less than fully American. You may think you’re just exercising personal choice when you get married in a park or choose not to hang Christmas decorations, but as Carlson’s interview demonstrates, conservative Christians see this as an attack on their “right” to live in a society that flatters their beliefs everywhere they go."
"That’s the idea that’s animating the Christian right: They really do believe that everyone else owes them, that we are obligated to tithe to their churches and pray to their God and if we don’t want to do that, we should somehow be treated as less than fully American. You may think you’re just exercising personal choice when you get married in a park or choose not to hang Christmas decorations, but as Carlson’s interview demonstrates, conservative Christians see this as an attack on their “right” to live in a society that flatters their beliefs everywhere they go."
Conservative media hysteria explodes: Muslims! Ebola! A xenophobic fiasco
Conservative media hysteria explodes: Muslims! Ebola! A xenophobic fiasco
"The conservative media are getting in on the act as well. The buzzing, angry, pulsating hub of anti-immigrant sentiment in the conservative media is Fox Nation."
"The conservative media are getting in on the act as well. The buzzing, angry, pulsating hub of anti-immigrant sentiment in the conservative media is Fox Nation."
Thursday, July 17, 2014
Disabled Americans: Pawns in a Larger Social Security Game? | Common Dreams
Disabled Americans: Pawns in a Larger Social Security Game? | Common Dreams
"In other words, Hatch wants to prevent a temporary reallocation of funds from other programs – which Democratic and Republican Congresses alike have done in the past – in order to force a “broader discussion” of across-the-board cut in benefits for Social Security, and perhaps privatization as well."
"In other words, Hatch wants to prevent a temporary reallocation of funds from other programs – which Democratic and Republican Congresses alike have done in the past – in order to force a “broader discussion” of across-the-board cut in benefits for Social Security, and perhaps privatization as well."
How Extreme Right-Wingers Are Using Marijuana as Trojan Horse for Their Schemes
www.alternet.org/books/how-extreme-right-wingers-are-using-marijuana-trojan-horse-their-schemes
"This concept – known as “jury nullification” – has been promoted in previous decades by far-right extremists who sought to “nullify” a variety of federal laws by encouraging jurors not to enforce them. The cases involved civil rights laws, tax statutes and criminal acts by white perpetrators aagainst black victims. It was avidly promoted in the 1990s by members of the antigovernment “Patriot” movement, particularly so-called “Freemen” in Montana who promoted the sovereign citizen ideology."
"This concept – known as “jury nullification” – has been promoted in previous decades by far-right extremists who sought to “nullify” a variety of federal laws by encouraging jurors not to enforce them. The cases involved civil rights laws, tax statutes and criminal acts by white perpetrators aagainst black victims. It was avidly promoted in the 1990s by members of the antigovernment “Patriot” movement, particularly so-called “Freemen” in Montana who promoted the sovereign citizen ideology."
Wednesday, July 16, 2014
Republicans in Senate Block Hobby Lobby 'Fix' Bill | Common Dreams
Republicans in Senate Block Hobby Lobby 'Fix' Bill | Common Dreams
"The U.S. Senate on Wednesday failed to approve a bill that would have restored contraceptive access in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court's Hobby Lobby ruling last month."
"The U.S. Senate on Wednesday failed to approve a bill that would have restored contraceptive access in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court's Hobby Lobby ruling last month."
The Pope Just Weighed In On The Undocumented Children And Conservatives Won’t Like What He Said
www.addictinginfo.org/2014/07/15/the-pope-just-weighed-in-on-the-undocumented-children-and-conservatives-wont-like-what-he-said/
"It’s baffling to see how many in this country are handling this humanitarian crisis. Out of fear and xenophobia, the children – many not even teenagers yet – have been dehumanized and vilified. The pope is asking for people to reevaluate and approach the issue with compassion, not hatred."
"It’s baffling to see how many in this country are handling this humanitarian crisis. Out of fear and xenophobia, the children – many not even teenagers yet – have been dehumanized and vilified. The pope is asking for people to reevaluate and approach the issue with compassion, not hatred."
Glenn Beck: Book That Says White Owners Suffered More Under Slavery Than Black Slaves Is Great For Kids (VIDEO)
www.addictinginfo.org/2014/07/16/glenn-beck-book-that-says-white-owners-suffered-more-under-slavery-than-black-slaves-is-great-for-kids-video/
"Racism is still alive and well in America and it’s the very conservatives who claim the opposite who are proving it. Republicans are on a crusade to convince Americans that slavery was a picnic for black people, while whites are the true victims. And they’re targeting children with this hogwash in an effort to indoctrinate them into accepting the extreme conservatism of the white male dominated GOP."
"Racism is still alive and well in America and it’s the very conservatives who claim the opposite who are proving it. Republicans are on a crusade to convince Americans that slavery was a picnic for black people, while whites are the true victims. And they’re targeting children with this hogwash in an effort to indoctrinate them into accepting the extreme conservatism of the white male dominated GOP."
Glenn Beck defends book that claims whites were the ‘worst victims’ of American slavery
www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/07/16/glenn-beck-defends-book-that-claims-whites-were-the-worst-victims-of-american-slavery/
"In the The 5000 Year Leap, Skousen tells the “story of slavery” by quoting historian Fred Albert Shannon at length. The quotations claim that white boys envied the freedom of black slave children and describe newly sold slaves as “a cheerful lot.”
The book also claims that abolitionists spread false rumors about the mistreatment of black slaves, and it states that “slave owners were the worst victims of the system"."
"In the The 5000 Year Leap, Skousen tells the “story of slavery” by quoting historian Fred Albert Shannon at length. The quotations claim that white boys envied the freedom of black slave children and describe newly sold slaves as “a cheerful lot.”
The book also claims that abolitionists spread false rumors about the mistreatment of black slaves, and it states that “slave owners were the worst victims of the system"."
Rushbo Doesn't Even Try To Hide His Racism Anymore
Rushbo Doesn't Even Try To Hide His Racism Anymore
"He's not even trying to disguise his racism anymore. In fact, he's wearing it right out there on his sleeve. This little riff on Central American immigrants, housing discrimination and suburbia is right up there with Cliven Bundy's musings on "The Negro"."
"He's not even trying to disguise his racism anymore. In fact, he's wearing it right out there on his sleeve. This little riff on Central American immigrants, housing discrimination and suburbia is right up there with Cliven Bundy's musings on "The Negro"."
Fox News' Gretchen Carlson Claims Seinfeld's 'Festivus' Is Real Anti-Religious Threat
Fox News' Gretchen Carlson Claims Seinfeld's 'Festivus' Is Real Anti-Religious Threat
"I've heard many anti-intellectual thoughts spewed out on Fox News, but there's plenty of room for more dim-witted ideas to flourish in the conservative media and Fox News' host Gretchen Carlson is leading the way of the feeble-minded with her take thatSeinfeld's episode containing the very funny "Festivus" holiday is one of her most feared examples of how anti-Christian ideas are eroding America's heritages."
"I've heard many anti-intellectual thoughts spewed out on Fox News, but there's plenty of room for more dim-witted ideas to flourish in the conservative media and Fox News' host Gretchen Carlson is leading the way of the feeble-minded with her take thatSeinfeld's episode containing the very funny "Festivus" holiday is one of her most feared examples of how anti-Christian ideas are eroding America's heritages."
Pope Francis: Children Who Migrate Alone Must Be 'Welcomed And Protected'
Pope Francis: Children Who Migrate Alone Must Be 'Welcomed And Protected'
"Pope Francis jumped into the migrant children debate the US is having and demanded that these children are welcomed and protected instead of being immediately sent back home. There are many Catholic politicians and pundits like Bill O'Reilly who not only want to turn the children away, but are demanding a military response and presence to be included in controlling the border."
"Pope Francis jumped into the migrant children debate the US is having and demanded that these children are welcomed and protected instead of being immediately sent back home. There are many Catholic politicians and pundits like Bill O'Reilly who not only want to turn the children away, but are demanding a military response and presence to be included in controlling the border."
Arizona Republican Confronts YMCA Campers' Bus, Mistakes Them For Migrant Kids
Arizona Republican Confronts YMCA Campers' Bus, Mistakes Them For Migrant Kids
"State legislator and would-be congressional candidate Adam Kwasman ran with a crowd of rowdy anti-immigration protesters to intercept a school bus full of migrant children yesterday morning near Phoenix. The only problem? The bus was filled with kids on their way to a YMCA camp."
"State legislator and would-be congressional candidate Adam Kwasman ran with a crowd of rowdy anti-immigration protesters to intercept a school bus full of migrant children yesterday morning near Phoenix. The only problem? The bus was filled with kids on their way to a YMCA camp."
Arizona Republican Idiotically Assumes YMCA Campers On Bus Are Migrant Children
www.politicususa.com/2014/07/16/arizona-republican-moronically-assumes-ymca-campers-bus-migrant-children.html
"Kwasman is running a longshot campaign in Arizona’s 1st Congressional District to unseat incumbent Democrat Ann Kirkpatrick. He is facing current Arizona House Speaker Andy Tobin in the GOP primary. Obviously, his initial hope with this stunt was that he’d be able to appeal to the far-right of the GOP base in the district and get himself some national exposure. Well, he got the national publicity he so desperately wanted."
"Kwasman is running a longshot campaign in Arizona’s 1st Congressional District to unseat incumbent Democrat Ann Kirkpatrick. He is facing current Arizona House Speaker Andy Tobin in the GOP primary. Obviously, his initial hope with this stunt was that he’d be able to appeal to the far-right of the GOP base in the district and get himself some national exposure. Well, he got the national publicity he so desperately wanted."
WATCH: Jon Stewart Takes Republicans To Task for Their Cruel Attitudes Towards Migrant Children
www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/watch-jon-stewart-takes-republicans-task-their-cruel-attitudes-towards-migrant
"Stewart contextualizes the anti-immigrant backlash within America’s long history of xenophobia, pointing to the Chinese Exclusion Act and concerns about the Irish taking American jobs at the turn of the 20th century."
"Stewart contextualizes the anti-immigrant backlash within America’s long history of xenophobia, pointing to the Chinese Exclusion Act and concerns about the Irish taking American jobs at the turn of the 20th century."
Arizona Politician Mistakes YMCA Campers For Undocumented Children
www.thinkprogress.org/immigration/2014/07/16/3460686/arizona-politician-mistakes-ymca-campers-for-undocumented-children-saw-fear-on-their-faces/
"An Arizona politician mistook a school bus carrying YMCA campers for undocumented immigrants during a protest against the expected arrival of migrant children in Oracle, Arizona on Tuesday."
"An Arizona politician mistook a school bus carrying YMCA campers for undocumented immigrants during a protest against the expected arrival of migrant children in Oracle, Arizona on Tuesday."
The GOP’s Plot To Convince You They Support Birth Control
www.thinkprogress.org/health/2014/07/15/3460393/gop-hobby-lobby-contraception-bill/
"At the end of the day, if McConnell’s potential legislation is any indicator, Republicans are simply willing to go on the record to affirm that they don’t support outlawing birth control altogether. That shouldn’t necessarily be incredibly reassuring to women."
"At the end of the day, if McConnell’s potential legislation is any indicator, Republicans are simply willing to go on the record to affirm that they don’t support outlawing birth control altogether. That shouldn’t necessarily be incredibly reassuring to women."
Lady Parts Justice Kicks Off New Website
Lady Parts Justice Kicks Off New Website
"Want to know what the anti-wimmenz gang is up to in your state? Click here!"
"Want to know what the anti-wimmenz gang is up to in your state? Click here!"
Scores Of Kansas Republicans Endorse Democratic Ticket For Governor
Scores Of Kansas Republicans Endorse Democratic Ticket For Governor
"Yes, those are Kansas Republicans putting their enthusiasm behind the Democrats looking to shovel Sam Brownback out of office.
It looks like Kansans don't appreciate it when billionaires shove education cuts and austerity down their throats."
"Yes, those are Kansas Republicans putting their enthusiasm behind the Democrats looking to shovel Sam Brownback out of office.
It looks like Kansans don't appreciate it when billionaires shove education cuts and austerity down their throats."
When Will Megyn 'Every Fertilized Egg Is Sacred' Kelly Call For Fertility Clinic Shutdowns?
When Will Megyn 'Every Fertilized Egg Is Sacred' Kelly Call For Fertility Clinic Shutdowns?
"If Fox's Megyn Kelly wants to defend the wingnuts who are pushing the notion that fertilized eggs are human beings and birth control is the same as abortion, when is she going to call for the fertility clinics across the country to be shut down?"
"If Fox's Megyn Kelly wants to defend the wingnuts who are pushing the notion that fertilized eggs are human beings and birth control is the same as abortion, when is she going to call for the fertility clinics across the country to be shut down?"
Two! Count 'Em, Two! Former Utah AGs Charged With Felonies
Two! Count 'Em, Two! Former Utah AGs Charged With Felonies
"The men who served as the top legal officials in Utah stand accused of soliciting bribes, accepting gifts, money laundering and interfering with the resulting criminal investigation."
"The men who served as the top legal officials in Utah stand accused of soliciting bribes, accepting gifts, money laundering and interfering with the resulting criminal investigation."
Arizona GOPer mistakes YMCA kids for undocumented children
Arizona GOPer mistakes YMCA kids for undocumented children
"Before realizing his mistake, the candidate told a reporter he saw "the fear" on the faces...of the YMCA campers "
"Before realizing his mistake, the candidate told a reporter he saw "the fear" on the faces...of the YMCA campers "
Right Wing Targeted Lois Lerner Because Of Her 1996 Investigation Into Koch Funding
Right Wing Targeted Lois Lerner Because Of Her 1996 Investigation Into Koch Funding
"The ginned-up IRS scandal is nothing more than a grudge match, orchestrated by the usual suspects and carried out by their bought-and-paid-for politicians."
"The ginned-up IRS scandal is nothing more than a grudge match, orchestrated by the usual suspects and carried out by their bought-and-paid-for politicians."
Tuesday, July 15, 2014
Two Former GOP Utah Attorneys General Arrested In Corruption Case
www.talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/former-utah-attorneys-general-arrested
"Two former Utah attorneys general, John Swallow (R) and Mark Shurtleff (R), were arrested in a long-running corruption case on Tuesday morning."
"Two former Utah attorneys general, John Swallow (R) and Mark Shurtleff (R), were arrested in a long-running corruption case on Tuesday morning."
Florida GOP Does Not Plan To Appeal Court Decision Striking Down Their Illegally Gerrymandered Maps
www.thinkprogress.org/justice/2014/07/15/3460364/florida-gop-does-not-plan-to-appeal-court-decision-striking-down-their-illegally-gerrymandered-maps/
"Last week, a Florida trial court struck down the state’s gerrymandered congressional map — a map which enabled Republicans to control 17 of the state’s 27 congressional districts despite the fact that Democratic President Obama won the state in 2012."
"Last week, a Florida trial court struck down the state’s gerrymandered congressional map — a map which enabled Republicans to control 17 of the state’s 27 congressional districts despite the fact that Democratic President Obama won the state in 2012."
Todd Akin Says He And Joe McCarthy Were Both Victims Of The Liberal Media
www.thinkprogress.org/election/2014/07/15/3460318/todd-akin-joe-mccarthy/
"Failed Senate candidate Todd Akin (R-MO) has recently re-emerged in the public sphere to defend his claim in 2012 that women who were victims of “legitimate rape” could not get pregnant. In a phone interview with St. Louis Dispatch, the former congressman compared himself sympathetically to Sen. Joe McCarthy (R-WI), who spearheaded an infamous Communist witch hunt in the 1950s. Akin argued that McCarthy was another victim “assassinated by the media"."
"Failed Senate candidate Todd Akin (R-MO) has recently re-emerged in the public sphere to defend his claim in 2012 that women who were victims of “legitimate rape” could not get pregnant. In a phone interview with St. Louis Dispatch, the former congressman compared himself sympathetically to Sen. Joe McCarthy (R-WI), who spearheaded an infamous Communist witch hunt in the 1950s. Akin argued that McCarthy was another victim “assassinated by the media"."
Fox Host Gretchen Carlson Warns Seinfeld's 'Festivus' Promotes Anti-Christian Persecution | Right Wing Watch
Fox Host Gretchen Carlson Warns Seinfeld's 'Festivus' Promotes Anti-Christian Persecution | Right Wing Watch
"Today, the far-right website WorldNetDaily interviewed Fox News host Gretchen Carlson and Fred Thompson, the former U.S. Senator and presidential candidate, about their roles in the new film “Persecuted,” a thriller about looming anti-Christian oppression in the U.S.
While Thompson pointed to Obamacare and the Hobby Lobby case as examples of the government persecuting Christians, Carlson once again highlighted the real force crushing the freedoms of Christians in America: Seinfeld.
She told WorldNetDaily that “Festivus,” the secular holiday popularized by the 1997 Seinfeld episode “The Strike,” is helping “erode” America’s “heritage” and “strip our society of certain things that have been in existence for a long time"."
"Today, the far-right website WorldNetDaily interviewed Fox News host Gretchen Carlson and Fred Thompson, the former U.S. Senator and presidential candidate, about their roles in the new film “Persecuted,” a thriller about looming anti-Christian oppression in the U.S.
While Thompson pointed to Obamacare and the Hobby Lobby case as examples of the government persecuting Christians, Carlson once again highlighted the real force crushing the freedoms of Christians in America: Seinfeld.
She told WorldNetDaily that “Festivus,” the secular holiday popularized by the 1997 Seinfeld episode “The Strike,” is helping “erode” America’s “heritage” and “strip our society of certain things that have been in existence for a long time"."
Exclusive: After Subpoenas in Walker Criminal Probe, WI GOP Sought to Quietly Change Law
Exclusive: After Subpoenas in Walker Criminal Probe, WI GOP Sought to Quietly Change Law
"New documents indicate that just weeks after the first subpoenas were issued in Wisconsin's "John Doe" criminal campaign finance probe in October 2013, senate Republicans had begun working to change state law to legalize the activities under investigation."
"New documents indicate that just weeks after the first subpoenas were issued in Wisconsin's "John Doe" criminal campaign finance probe in October 2013, senate Republicans had begun working to change state law to legalize the activities under investigation."
Fox's Kelly Pitches In To Help Rehab Todd 'Legitimate Rape' Akin
Fox's Kelly Pitches In To Help Rehab Todd 'Legitimate Rape' Akin
"Todd Akin is back in the spotlight after he retracted his apology for his "legitimate rape" comments and Fox's Megyn Kelly was more than help him out with some Republican rehab on her show this Monday."
"Todd Akin is back in the spotlight after he retracted his apology for his "legitimate rape" comments and Fox's Megyn Kelly was more than help him out with some Republican rehab on her show this Monday."
Here's What Obama's 'Part-Time America' Really Looks Like
www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2014/07/heres-what-obamas-part-time-america-really-looks-like/374356/
"The president's critics love this talking point. But since 2010, full-time jobs are up 7.6 million, and part-time jobs have declined by more than 900,000."
"The president's critics love this talking point. But since 2010, full-time jobs are up 7.6 million, and part-time jobs have declined by more than 900,000."
CNBC Host Lets Rick Santelli Have It: 'No Piece Of Advice You've Given That's Worked'
CNBC Host Lets Rick Santelli Have It: 'No Piece Of Advice You've Given That's Worked'
"A CNBC host tore into Rick Santelli by embarrassing him with his own record of always being wrong."
"A CNBC host tore into Rick Santelli by embarrassing him with his own record of always being wrong."
Far right’s secret SCOTUS strategy: What Boehner’s lawsuit is really about
Far right’s secret SCOTUS strategy: What Boehner’s lawsuit is <em>really</em> about
"When a fringe party can no longer win legislative elections, boosting the impact of judges is its best last resort"
"When a fringe party can no longer win legislative elections, boosting the impact of judges is its best last resort"
Monday, July 14, 2014
Charles Koch, Modern Robber Baron, Exposed
Charles Koch, Modern Robber Baron, Exposed
"We suspected it all along, but now we have the goods that prove that Charles Koch was a member of the John Birch Society at the height of their attacks on the civil rights movement and civil rights leaders like Martin Luther King."
"We suspected it all along, but now we have the goods that prove that Charles Koch was a member of the John Birch Society at the height of their attacks on the civil rights movement and civil rights leaders like Martin Luther King."
Arizona charter school history book says whites envied “freedom” of slaves
Arizona charter school history book says whites envied “freedom” of slaves
"One of the oldest public charters in the state is using wingnut history to promote racism and Christian nationalism"
"One of the oldest public charters in the state is using wingnut history to promote racism and Christian nationalism"
Arizona charter school history book says whites envied “freedom” of slaves
Arizona charter school history book says whites envied “freedom” of slaves
"One of the oldest public charters in the state is using wingnut history to promote racism and Christian nationalism"
"One of the oldest public charters in the state is using wingnut history to promote racism and Christian nationalism"
GOP Self-Destruction Complete: Millennials Officially Hate Conservatives
www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/gop-self-destruction-complete-millennials-officially-hate-conservatives
"Conservatives are stuck in a perpetual outrage loop. The reappearance of Todd Akin, the horror-movie villain immortality of Sarah Palin, the unseemly celebration of the Hobby Lobby decision – these all speak to a chorus of "la-la-la-can't-hear-you" loud enough to drown out the voice of an entire generation. Late last week, the Reason Foundation released the results of a poll about that generation, the millennials; its signature finding was the confirmation of a mass abandonment of social conservatism and the GOP."
"Conservatives are stuck in a perpetual outrage loop. The reappearance of Todd Akin, the horror-movie villain immortality of Sarah Palin, the unseemly celebration of the Hobby Lobby decision – these all speak to a chorus of "la-la-la-can't-hear-you" loud enough to drown out the voice of an entire generation. Late last week, the Reason Foundation released the results of a poll about that generation, the millennials; its signature finding was the confirmation of a mass abandonment of social conservatism and the GOP."
AZ charter school’s ‘Tea Party’ history book claims whites envied the ‘freedom’ of slaves
www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/07/14/az-charter-schools-tea-party-history-book-claims-whites-envied-the-freedom-of-slaves/
"The use of the Skousen books is particularly disturbing because of their affiliation with politically motivated religious movements. Glenn Beck touted The 5,000 Year Leap as a “divinely inspired” interpretation of early American history, and following his endorsement, it became a regular presence at Tea Party events."
"The use of the Skousen books is particularly disturbing because of their affiliation with politically motivated religious movements. Glenn Beck touted The 5,000 Year Leap as a “divinely inspired” interpretation of early American history, and following his endorsement, it became a regular presence at Tea Party events."
Texas GOP’s secret anti-Hispanic plot: Smoking gun emails revealed
Texas GOP’s secret anti-Hispanic plot: Smoking gun emails revealed
"The Texas defendants, represented by Greg Abbott, Texas attorney general and Republican gubernatorial nominee, have denied that they drew redistricting maps in a discriminatory way that intentionally divided or over-concentrated minority populations, so those groups lost the opportunity to elect representatives of their choice."
"The Texas defendants, represented by Greg Abbott, Texas attorney general and Republican gubernatorial nominee, have denied that they drew redistricting maps in a discriminatory way that intentionally divided or over-concentrated minority populations, so those groups lost the opportunity to elect representatives of their choice."
6 worst right-wing moments of the week — gay pride whopper edition
6 worst right-wing moments of the week — gay pride whopper edition
"Todd Akin takes back his apology for his incredibly offensive comments on rape."
"Todd Akin takes back his apology for his incredibly offensive comments on rape."
Republicans confuse “Atlas Shrugged” for the Bible
Republicans confuse “Atlas Shrugged” for the Bible
"The decline of the mainstream church has allowed the Christian Right to misuse the Gospel to champion unfettered capitalism. For Republicans, “prosperity theology” has replaced the Beatitudes. In this Ayn Randian philosophy, God rewards the faithful with material wealth. The flip side of this theology is that to be poor means you are of little faith, and, ipso facto, must be a sinner."
"The decline of the mainstream church has allowed the Christian Right to misuse the Gospel to champion unfettered capitalism. For Republicans, “prosperity theology” has replaced the Beatitudes. In this Ayn Randian philosophy, God rewards the faithful with material wealth. The flip side of this theology is that to be poor means you are of little faith, and, ipso facto, must be a sinner."
Sunday, July 13, 2014
Why Does the Right Embrace Ignorance as a Virtue?
www.alternet.org/belief/why-does-right-embrace-ignorance-virtue
"Spouting off about stuff you know nothing about is traditionally considered unwise. But as the Republican war on science intensifies, ignorance has started to become not only less of a handicap, but a point of pride. In the face of expertise and facts, being belligerently ignorant—and offended that anyone dare suggest ignorance is less desirable than knowledge—has become the go-to position for many conservative politicians and pundits." (Reposted)
"Spouting off about stuff you know nothing about is traditionally considered unwise. But as the Republican war on science intensifies, ignorance has started to become not only less of a handicap, but a point of pride. In the face of expertise and facts, being belligerently ignorant—and offended that anyone dare suggest ignorance is less desirable than knowledge—has become the go-to position for many conservative politicians and pundits." (Reposted)
Alex Jones Goes Off on Disgusting Sexist Rant About Michelle Obama
www.forwardprogressives.com/alex-jones-goes-disgusting-sexist-rant-michelle-obama/
"Anyone who has any kind of respect for Alex Jones should be ashamed of themselves. This man has made a career out of peddling some of the most vile, hateful, paranoid propaganda I’ve ever heard. He’s an absolute embarrassment to the human race."
"Anyone who has any kind of respect for Alex Jones should be ashamed of themselves. This man has made a career out of peddling some of the most vile, hateful, paranoid propaganda I’ve ever heard. He’s an absolute embarrassment to the human race."
Founder Of ‘Moms With Guns’ Asks For Someone To Kill Obama (IMAGE)
www.addictinginfo.org/2014/07/12/founder-of-moms-with-guns-asks-for-someone-to-kill-obama/
"It’s likely that the Secret Service will look into Perkins, especially given her demonstrable access to the means of making good on her wishes to harm the president."
"It’s likely that the Secret Service will look into Perkins, especially given her demonstrable access to the means of making good on her wishes to harm the president."
Rand Paul’s twisted race lies: His new views on civil rights are as phony as the old ones
Rand Paul’s twisted race lies: His new views on civil rights are as phony as the old ones
"Prospective GOP front-runner claims views on civil rights have evolved. Not if you dig into what he actually says"
"Prospective GOP front-runner claims views on civil rights have evolved. Not if you dig into what he actually says"
Obama Lands Hard Punch; Fox Talkers Squeal Like Stuck Pigs
Obama Lands Hard Punch; Fox Talkers Squeal Like Stuck Pigs
"It might play with the Fox fantasy viewers, but reality-based folks will have a more difficult time swallowing it."
"It might play with the Fox fantasy viewers, but reality-based folks will have a more difficult time swallowing it."
Saturday, July 12, 2014
Why Do Wingnuts Always Want To Play Soldier?
Why Do Wingnuts Always Want To Play Soldier?
"Two chickenhawks who never saw battle, pretending to be tough guys!"
"Two chickenhawks who never saw battle, pretending to be tough guys!"
Republican turns on party, blows up its crock of nonsense
Republican turns on party, blows up its crock of nonsense
"the reason Republicans wouldn’t move forward on immigration was that the caucus was terrified of the political blowback from conservatives"
"the reason Republicans wouldn’t move forward on immigration was that the caucus was terrified of the political blowback from conservatives"
Inside the Right-Wing's Creepy Demonization of Helpless Children
www.alternet.org/immigration/inside-right-wings-creepy-demonization-helpless-children
"Needless to say, this behavior is an expression of xenophobia, not a fear of disease. It's been used since time immemorial to characterize "the other" as a threat."
"Needless to say, this behavior is an expression of xenophobia, not a fear of disease. It's been used since time immemorial to characterize "the other" as a threat."
There Was No Stand Down Order: The Release of the Benghazi Transcripts Busts Republicans
www.politicususa.com/2014/07/09/there-stand-order-democrats-bust-republicans-completely-baseless-benghazi-conspiracy.html
"Darrell Issa (R-CA) earned himself Four Pinocchios for claiming that Secretary Hillary Clinton ordered former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta to “stand down” during the Benghazi attacks and now Democrats are demanding an apology."
"Darrell Issa (R-CA) earned himself Four Pinocchios for claiming that Secretary Hillary Clinton ordered former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta to “stand down” during the Benghazi attacks and now Democrats are demanding an apology."
Florida Court Declares One Of The Worst Partisan Gerrymanders In The Country Unconstitutional
www.thinkprogress.org/justice/2014/07/11/3459082/florida-court-declares-one-of-the-worst-partisan-gerrymanders-in-the-country-unconstitutional/
"Florida’s congressional districts are some of the most GOP-friendly in the country. Although President Obama won a narrow victory over Mitt Romney in Florida during the 2012 presidential election, Republicans control 17 of the state’s 27 congressional districts. That means that, even though Obama won a majority of the votes cast by Floridians in 2012, Romney’s Republican Party controls nearly two-thirds of Florida’s U.S. House delegation.
On Thursday, a Florida trial court held that the congressional maps that produced this lopsided result violate the state’s constitution."
"Florida’s congressional districts are some of the most GOP-friendly in the country. Although President Obama won a narrow victory over Mitt Romney in Florida during the 2012 presidential election, Republicans control 17 of the state’s 27 congressional districts. That means that, even though Obama won a majority of the votes cast by Floridians in 2012, Romney’s Republican Party controls nearly two-thirds of Florida’s U.S. House delegation.
On Thursday, a Florida trial court held that the congressional maps that produced this lopsided result violate the state’s constitution."
Kansas Is Going Broke Due To The Republican Plan Of Cutting Taxes For the Rich
www.politicususa.com/2014/07/11/kansas-broke-due-republican-plan-cutting-taxes-rich.html
"None of the “trickle-down” economic benefits have materialized and Kansas’s job growth lags behind the rest of the nation “especially in the years following the first round of Brownback tax cuts.” The revenue shortfall prompted credit rating agency Moody’s cut the state’s credit rating in May, and it is entirely because of tax cuts for the rich"
"None of the “trickle-down” economic benefits have materialized and Kansas’s job growth lags behind the rest of the nation “especially in the years following the first round of Brownback tax cuts.” The revenue shortfall prompted credit rating agency Moody’s cut the state’s credit rating in May, and it is entirely because of tax cuts for the rich"
Judge Rules that Florida Republicans Tried to Rig Congressional Elections
www.forwardprogressives.com/judge-rules-florida-republicans-tried-rig-congressional-elections/
"Unethical gerrymandering by the GOP is how Republicans currently control the House of Representatives, despite the fact that they lost the overall popular vote by over 1.5 million votes."
"Unethical gerrymandering by the GOP is how Republicans currently control the House of Representatives, despite the fact that they lost the overall popular vote by over 1.5 million votes."
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